Dr.
Manute is a well-renowned world traveler, guest speaker, and educational
consultant.

Dr.
Manute holds multiple degrees in several educational fields. He has
taught in
both
stateside and international school communities. He has extensive
experience (25 years) in school administration. He also has worked
at the university level, supervising teacher interns and teaching
undergraduate courses.You
can contact Dr. Manute through the form at the end of this
article. Thanks!

Hello readers -

Dr. Manute is currently out of the country on official Department
of Education business overseas. He will resume the Reader
Response section again in late August.

Please do continue to submit your questions and queries for Dr.
Manute, and he will respond to them upon his return
stateside.

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Learning in
Hand is an
educator's resource for using some of the coolest technologies
with students.

Learning in Hand is
written by Tony Vincent. Tony taught fifth
grade in Omaha, Nebraska for six years, and three of those years
his students were pioneers in educational handheld computing.
Then, as technology specialist at Willowdale Elementary, Tony
brought the newest technologies into classrooms. Whether it was
digital video, blogs, email, podcasts, or handhelds, Tony helped
Willowdale teachers and students understand the usefulness of
new technologies. Currently, Tony is self-employed as an
education consultant. He conducts workshops, presents at
conferences, and writes books based on his teaching experiences
and passion for new technologies.

Always excited to
share, Tony has documented much of what he knows about handheld
computing and podcasting on his website, learninginhand.com.
There you'll find useful software collections, the best webs
links for handhelds, complete lesson plans, and an informative
blog.

Tony is a teacher who
wants to make education effective, relevant, and fun. He knows
handhelds are small computers that can make a big difference in
classrooms! He hopes Learning in Hand inspires and motivates
teachers to use technology that students crave.

Description:
Pod touch and iPad and their vast library of apps make it possible
for teachers and students to create compelling audio and video podcasts.
Learn how educators and learners can plan, record, edit, and
publish audio podcasts without the need for a desktop or laptop
computer. Furthermore, explore the possibilities when
multiple apps can be used to create narrated slideshows where students
can interact with content and show their learning in a multi-sensory
way. The slideshows they create can be shared on the web and viewed on
other devices. Learning is in hand when you create and share media on an
iPod touch or iPad!

The recording starts with a few
technical issues, but we get past them. While watching, see if you can
spot my cat Dewey. Just like in past broadcasts, he loves to try to be a
part of of the show.

There
are six modules designed to test the basic ability of an
individual in terms of Memory & Concentration. Needless to
say this is the most important basic skill for not just to
survive but also to thrive in this competitive environment.
Each of the six modules tests the six variants of Memory &
Concentration in an individual, namely:

1.

Picture
recognition

2.

Paired Associate
Learning

3.

Immediate Recall

4.

Serial processing

5.

Parallel
processing

6.

Recognition and
Recall

Each
of these modules runs at three different levels, from easy to
difficult.

At each level, the individual's performance is depicted as
Scores Obtained.

A feedback has been built into the software for all these 18
levels depending on the marks one scores during the
test.

Each individual can assess his/her performance any time by
clicking on "history", which gives complete details
of date and time of taking the tests, marks scored each time
and even time taken to do the test. This builds the confidence
level and encourages more participation to eventually
culminate in improvement and enhancement of memory and
concentration.

Essentially, this software is a SELF AWARENESS tool that
surely motivates the individual to realize one's capability
and seek or be receptive for improvement. Also, if repeatedly
done over a period of time works as Training tool to enhance
their capability.

This
software package is specifically designed to help young
children to learn basic skills that will help them in
school. Continued follow-up will give these young
learners success as they mature.

Three versions of the software exist:
Individual Software on either CD or Online, Family
Version Software, and an Institutional Software package.

StarTeaching wholeheartedly supports
and endorses this software. It will make a difference
with your child or student.

Student
Teachers' Lounge:
For The Things They Don't Teach You In College

Starting Off Your
First Year -Building Positive Relationships Around Your School with
your Office Secretaries

By Frank
Holes, Jr., Educational Consultant

This is
the second in a series of informational articles focusing on
preparing for your first year of teaching. Look for more
in upcoming issues!

Your office secretary is vital to the running of your
school. Not only does your secretary handle office duties including
answering the phone, typing reports, memos, and newsletters, and keeping
& organizing supplies, but also may have responsibility for handling
minor discipline problems, watching students in the office, scheduling
students & classes, first aid & nursing, attendance, and dealing
with parents.

This is the first representative of your school to
all visitors, and the secretary essentially sets the attitude of the
office. To students, they can be a counselor or advisor; to parents,
they can be a welcoming committee. To teachers, the secretary can be a
helpful hand.

Your office secretary is the communications hub of
the school, responsible in many cases for every detail in running a
school. They often set up meetings, make the important phone calls, and
schedule events.

It is very important for you as a teacher to develop
and keep a positive relationship with your office secretaries.

They keep you up on events and important information
around the school. Many times they will do office tasks for you if you
ask them nicely.

Most secretaries do far more in a school than they
could ever get paid for. They do their job with little thanks, and yet
most don’t show they like the attention of appreciation. It is very
important to remember them on holidays (such as Secretaries Day) and
other special occasions.

Be sure to check out our website for the FREE teacher Who-I-Want-To-Be
plan and other great Freebies for new teachers. Simply click the
following link: http://www.starteaching.com/free.htm

Mark Benn
teaches math and ELA at Inland Lakes Middle School in Indian
River, MI. He completed his Masters of Science from Full Sail
University on June 4, 2010. He is the educational/ technology
writer for an online newletter called “Star Teaching”. He
can be reached via email at mackinacfurtrader@gmail.com.

Here are a couple of great websites I found to use
Digital Story Telling in your class:

Mary
Ann Graziani is a Michigan Certified Teacher
with a Masters Degree in Elementary Education. She is married
and has two sons.She
loves to read and write, and enjoys passing on that love to the
children that she teaches.Her philosophy is teaching and entertaining children at
the same time.

She
has published an
educational book for elementary school-aged children using high
frequency sight words, and is
in the process of
publishing an entire set that goes with that book.She
has also written a
math tale that teaches customary units of measurement to
elementary school-aged children in an entertaining storybook
tale.You
can contact Mary Ann at: mgrazi@wowway.com

Most teachers would agree that they prefer smaller classes to larger
ones. This is no surprise since smaller classes are easier to manage,
allow the teachers to cover more learning material, and provide daily
feedback to students more easily. In smaller classes, it is easier for
the teacher to pinpoint students who require remedial help and they have
more time to adapt teaching strategies to a student’s individual
needs.

According to an article in Education World, Charles M. Achilles, a
professor of educational administration at Eastern Michigan University
states, “Conclusive evidence has shown the benefits of class sizes of
1:15, especially in the primary grades.” Since the early 1980s, a
large-scale project in Indiana, a major experiment in Tennessee,
numerous smaller studies and evaluations of projects that use low
adult-to-student ratios have found that youngsters in small classes
(1:15 or so) as compared to youngsters in larger classes obtain higher
test scores; participate more in school; demonstrate improved behavior;
and retain many benefits of early class-size reductions in their later
years of schooling (Hopkins, 1998).

To address this problem there have been many class size reduction
programs initiated in many schools throughout the nation. Today,
however, with educational budget cuts in many states, there would not be
enough money to fund class size reduction programs adequately. When
student - teacher ratios are high, teachers are unable to meet the needs
of all students and budget cuts make class size reduction programs
impossible.

There are solutions that are simple and require no money or
commitment from anyone other than the teacher themselves. When used,
they can make managing a large class more simple.

Solution 1: Classroom management plan. When presented with a large
group of students, the most important thing is to manage the classroom.
There must be a way to gain the students attention immediately, without
having to yell or shout. Rules, and consequences for breaking each rule,
must be decided, posted, and strictly adhered to. Students can be
involved in helping develop the rules and consequences. They can be
decided together as a class on the first day of school. Consequences for
each rule should be posted and followed each and every time the rule is
broken. It is imperative that all students be held accountable for
following the rules at all times. The teacher must be seen as fair. If
even one student is allowed to “get away” with something, then the
whole discipline plan falls apart and the teacher loses management of
the class. When planning out rules and consequences, the teacher should
include the administration in his/her ideas so they can help enforce the
! rules. Often, a school will have rules that apply to every student and
teachers support each other by encouraging students to act within these
guidelines. Hopefully, it will never come down to having to enforce
rules. Dr. Harry Wong states “the number one problem in the classroom
is not discipline; it is the lack of procedures and routines. . . A vast
majority of the behavior problems in the classroom are caused by the
failure of students to follow procedures and routines” (Wong, 1998). A
teacher’s classroom management plan, therefore, must consist of how
things are to be done in the classroom, starting from the moment they
walk in the door. A procedure might be: walk in, put your backpack in
your cubby, sit at your desk, and write a page in your journal.
Eventually these procedures become habits and things will run smoothly.
The first few weeks of school may require the teacher to “remind”
students several times what the procedures are, but it will pay off in
the long run ! (Wong, 1998).

Solution 2: Encourage students to work independently. Students who
work independently of the teacher are more successful. “The fact that
the teacher does most of the work at school explains why there is little
learning in school” (Wong, 1998). This is especially true when trying
to teach a large number of students. A teacher will become exhausted
trying to keep the kids in line and focused on a lecture. If, instead,
the teacher gives students activities to work on; they learn more. They
not only learn from each other, they learn by doing. This frees the
teacher up to walk around and assist. “The research says that the
person who does the work is the only one doing the learning” (Wong
1998). Students can act as “teacher assistants” by being given
various jobs within the classroom. This will also help the students be
more independent and responsible. Students may have jobs such as feeding
the class pet, taking the attendance cards to the office, monitoring the
clean up o! f toys, collecting homework, cleaning the chalkboard, etc.
These jobs will give the students a sense of pride in their classroom,
while taking some small but necessary tasks away from the teacher.

Solution 3: Keep Parents Included: Give them copies of lesson plans,
or form a calendar of main lesson topics, which they can follow (i.e.
September topics: Johnny Appleseed, signs of fall, subtracting 3 digit
numbers). Make sure parents are aware of special dates like conferences
or open house. Invite them and make them feel welcome. One of our
teammates keeps her lesson plans posted on the wall of her classroom,
because parents are always asking what the topics of discussion are.
Parents like to supplement the topics at home, and also send theme
related show-and-tell items with their children. Parents and teachers
working together is the best scenario for any child. A teacher should do
all he/she can to keep parents in the loop with what is going on in the
classroom. “Parents are their children’s first and most influential
teachers” (Wong 1998).

Another way to help parents stay involved is through weekly
newsletter sent home on Fridays. This is a simple solution that a
teacher can implement into their classroom. One easy way to manage the
newsletter is to let the students design and write it. This is one way
to give the gifted and talented students something that is educational
and fun to work on. This will keep them from becoming bored and
disinterested in the class. It will also give the teacher additional
time to work with the students who may need extra help in various
academic areas.

An additional method of communication with parents is to set up a
website where parents can log on and keep up daily with what is going on
in school. Sometimes the newsletter will just sit on the counter all
weekend and not be read. Parents, who work long hours, often have some
free time at work where they check personal email or surf the web. If a
teacher sets up a classroom website and keeps it updated, parents can
keep abreast of school happenings. Also, this helps in divorced
families, because both parents have a way of keeping up with what is
going on in school. If a parent only sees their child every other
weekend, they will appreciate a way to keep up with their daily lives.
Maintaining a website is not difficult or time consuming. It may make a
huge difference in the lives of your students. This is another area
where students who are doing well academically can have a fun and have
an educational project to work on. Allowing students to help maintain
the website will provide the same benefits as students creating the
newsletter, and additionally, will integrate technology into the
curriculum.

The benefits of creating a newsletter and website will provide a
method of communication for the parents, so they can keep track of what
is going on in school. Most parents put their kids on the bus in the
morning and don’t see them again until dinnertime. When they ask their
child “what did you do in school today?” the answer they get is
usually brief, something like “not much” or “the usual.” Even
worse is, “nothing.” As teachers, we want parents to be interested
in their child’s school. We cannot expect this from them if they
don’t even know what is going on. This excerpt was taken from research
done by the National Education Association on why it is important for
parents to know what is going on in their child’s school:

“Here are just some of the reasons it is important for parents to
be actively involved in their child's education:

1.When parents are involved in their children’s education at home,
they do better in school. And when parents are involved in school,
children go farther in school—and the schools they go to are better
(Henderson and Berla).

2.The family makes critical contributions to student achievement from
pre-school through high school. A home environment that encourages
learning is more important to student achievement than income, education
level or cultural background (Henderson and Berla).

4.Three kinds of parental involvement at home are consistently
associated with higher student achievement: actively organizing and
monitoring a child’s time, helping with homework and discussing school
matters (Finn, 1998).

5.The earlier that parent involvement begins in a child’s
educational process, the more powerful the effects (Kathleen Cotton and
Karen Reed Wikelund. "Parent Involvement in Education,"
Research You Can Use. NW Regional Educational Laboratory).

Methods of maintaining
discipline in schools are not always successful. The misbehavior of
children is common in all schools, although most schools managed to keep
this within tolerable limits. Occasionally, however, poor disciplinary
management within school can cause a more general breakdown in order.

In modern years this has
been popularly characterized by violence against teachers and other
children. This is, of course, not a new problem. The public schools of
eighteenth and nineteenth century England, for instance, were subject to
a number of violent armed uprising and violence against teachers was a
common phenomenon throughout the nineteenth century. Even low levels of
indiscipline at school can result in a detrimental working environment
for children and good teaching will often depend on good school
discipline.

Effective discipline
requires the consent, either explicit or tacit, of parents and pupils.
Whilst few children will enjoy punishment, most will submit to it
providing it is perceived as being equitable.

Moreover, to be effective,
punishment should never appear arbitrary. School hierarchies award
teachers great power over their students and the perceived abuse of this
power to punish children in arbitrary ways can be the source of much
resentment and hostility.

Problems with school
discipline has also led to a reduction in the number of people willing
to become teachers, especially in high schools or schools regarded as
being difficult. Student misbehavior and rudeness is the leading cause
of teacher resignations. In some areas and countries, this has led to a
severe teacher shortage, with classes either not taught, or taught by an
unqualified person. In some schools, a senior class, for example, may
have up to a dozen different teachers in a single year, as the
replacements decide to leave rather than deal with student behavior.
Many countries are now trying to offer incentives to new teachers to
remain in such schools, but with very limited success.

The effects of classroom
discipline can be compared to emotional abuse, the teacher in the role
of abuser and students in the role of unwanted victimization. Merely a
game of power and domination.

The
realms of blood-thirsty pirates and powerful Norse raiders
collide in Viking Treasure, the exciting second book in The
Longquist Adventures series.Our young hero finds himself on a Viking merchant ship
bound for long, lost treasure buried in the new world.

Not
fully trusting his one-legged mentor, the time-traveling boy
must rely on his own wits and ideals to escape terrifying,
colossal beasts and unexpected, treacherous mutiny.Can he survive in a world where nothing is what it seems?

Part mystery, part science fiction, Year
of the Dogman is an imaginative, compelling, and adrenaline-pumping
adventure. Author Frank Holes, Jr. takes no prisoners in creating a
diabolical creature that leaves the forest to prey on the hapless hamlet
of
Twin
Lakes
in
Northern Michigan
. When night falls, the nocturnal beast, Dogman, scares the living
daylights out of anyone he happens upon as he searches for a timeless
treasure stolen from a Native American tribe. In the midst of the chaos, a
young teacher is forced to put two and two together no matter how high the
cost to rid the village of the treacherous man-beast who thrives on
destruction and terror.

In The Haunting of Sigma,
Frank Holes, Jr. returns fans of the legendary Dogman to the wild world
of cryptozoology in
Northern Michigan
.This darker, far more
sinister prequel to Holes’s first novel fully establishes his hold
upon the imaginations of readers all over the
Midwest
. June 1987 ushers in the
hot, dry summer season, but something else far more horrifying has taken
up residence in the deep wilderness in
Kalkaska
County
.The Dogman, a supernatural
combination of canine and man, has returned to wreck havoc upon the
tiny, sleepy community of Sigma.

Michigan
’s legendary Dogman returns in
Nagual: Dawn of the Dogmen by Frank Holes, Jr.The third book in the series is a masterful blend of
fantasy and folklore, delving into the pre-dawn history of the
mysterious creature and then rushing forward to the present day.The supernatural beast is seen from two fronts.The first encounter, part of a 1700s French fur-trader’s
dream, chronicles the cultural clash between the indigenous,
prehistoric civilizations and the Nagual, the half-man,
half-canine skin-walkers, a clash where only one side can survive.

Based upon the
epic Greek tale of The Odyssey, yet set in the American Wild West, The Longquist Adventures: Western Odyssey chronicles the journey of a young boy and his guide through a perilous
world of dangerous encounters and fantastic creatures.It is a world of gun fights at high noon, stampedes on the great
plains, stagecoach robbery, and an ultimate showdown with a ruthless,
powerful gangster aboard a turn-of-the-century paddlewheel in the San
Francisco Bay.Can the
time-traveling boy and the law-abiding Marshal restore order to the
chaos of the American West gone truly wild?

This is the
second article in a series on using the writing process in class.

Writing Terminology

There are a number of
important terms we use for commonality. It is important to
use the same terminology to unify our efforts and so students are
all on the same page. Its easy for students to be confused
when teachers do not use the same terms. It may seem natural
for us teachers, but it is often difficult for students.

WRITING
PROCESS TERMS:

PARAGRAPH
TERMS:

GENERIC
WRITING TERMS:

BRAINSTORMING:
Thinking of ideas and writing these down on your paper
before you begin the actual writing

CLINCHER
STATEMENT:
This sentence wraps up, provides closure, and concludes
the writing. It tells the reader what you have told
them. At advanced levels, this sentence will also
provide a Theme for writing

ESSAY:
This is an extended writing assignment utilizing at
least two (or more) paragraphs working together to
expand and discuss a topic with more specific detail and
examples.

DRAFTING:
Writing activity in which students transfer their
thoughts on a topic into a written or textual form.
This may be sentences, a paragraph, or an essay format.
Mistakes and corrections are expected so students can
improve.

DETAILS:
These are the facts, examples, and statistics that make
up a Support. These can be in the form of
information from charts, graphs, and even quotes.

FCAs:
Focal Correction Areas, these are the specific areas in
the rubric for students to focus and work on for a
particular work. We begin with FCAs on form and
format, then move on to other areas as students master
these.

EDITING:
Revising for content. This is where students
should look to add, remove, or change their ideas

LEAD:
A Personal Life Experience at the beginning of an essay
to hook the reader and relate the writing topic to a
related concept outside the classroom.

FLOW
& FLUENCY:
The interconnectedness of the ideas in a piece of
writing. Ideas should flow logically from
one to the next, and the reader should follow the
presentation without difficulty.

ORGANIZING:
This is the activity of thinking about what they have
brainstormed and developing a plan for writing.

PERSONAL
LIFE EXPERIENCE:
This is the students' voice in the writing, a sentence
where students incorporate a real life experience
or a related concept which directly connects to the
writing topic

FORM
& FORMAT:This is the basic 'skeleton' or structure of the
paragraph or essay.

PREWRITING:
The work and thinking that occurs before the students
actually start their writing. This consists of two
parts, Brainstorming & Organizing

SUPPORTS:
These are sentences which support the Topic Sentence,
and include several details that back opinions or
answers stated by the writer

HOOK:
A sentence at the beginning of a paragraph or essay that
grabs the reader's attention. Common hooks will
pose questions, give a startling statement, provide
unusual facts, or tell a story (a Lead)

PROOFREADING:
Checking over your work for mistakes in spelling,
grammar, mechanics, and usage, and then fixing them.

THEME:
A life lesson, moral, or message that the reader should
learn from reading the paper.

PARAGRAPH:
A group of related sentences that work together to
present a response to a writing topic. At a basic
level, Paragraphs must include a Topic Sentence,
Supports, and a Clincher.

PUBLISHING:
A final copy of your work, free from errors and ready
for a real audience to view it.

TOPIC
SENTENCE:
This sentence introduces the topic of your writing.
It tells the reader what you are going to tell them.
At advanced levels, this sentence will Hook the reader's
attention and provide the focus for writing.

RUBRIC:A guarantee of getting an 'A' on the assignment.
This is the set of criteria used to grade a piece of
writing. Students and teachers both know the
rubric ahead of time so both understand the
expectations.

REVISION:
Students working with a piece of writing or text to

VOICE:
Sound, tone, and individuality in a piece of writing.
Voice includes personal experience and creative writing.
It should be as if the student was reading the work
aloud.

Be sure to check out our website for the FREE teacher Who-I-Want-To- Be
plan and other great Freebies for new teachers. Simply click the
following link: http://www.starteaching.com/free.htm

Be sure to check out our website for more great
information, tips, and techniques for new teachers,
student-teachers, and interns in teacher prep programs. Also be
sure to check out our Who-I-Want-To-Be teacher plan for
preparing yourself to enter the educational profession. Simply
click the following link: http://www.starteaching.com/free.htm

Kindle weighs only 10 ounces and is 1/3 of an inch
thick, yet it holds over 1500 books!

Order your very own Kindle by clicking the link below:

Are There Other Teachers in Your
School or District Who Would Love to Receive Our Newsletter?

Be sure to
pass along our website and newsletter!

"Don't Quit"Author Unknown

Themes
on Life

An old classic about the
importance of perseverance

When things go wrong as they usually will,
When the track you're climbing feels all uphill,
When you're salaries are low and your debts are too high;
You would want to smile but you'd have to sigh.
When care is making you down a bit,
Rest if you need to but do not quit.

Life is hard with its own twists and turns,
As sometimes everyone of us learns.
When many a failure turns inside out,
When you could have won if you had turned about.
Do not give up even when steps are slow,
You just may succeed with another blow.

Success comes from failure on the inside to out,
With that silver tint in the clouds of doubt,
You may never tell how close you are,
It could be near even if it feels so far,
So stick to with your greatest, strongest and hardest hit,
It's when things seem worse that you should not quit!

What's New @
StarTeaching?

This month, we have a number of great
online resources for you! Our web partner Tony Vincent
shares some excellent handheld websites including Ustream. Mark Benn
shares two sites for Digital Storytelling. And our Website of the Month features
EtherPad, a FREE online real-time datapad for collaboration
anywhere in the world.

We're
also featuring articles on school discipline, and continuing articles on
the writing process and preparing for that first day of school. And be sure to join up on our FACEBOOK page for StarTeaching for more reader
interaction as well as constant, updated streams of educational
information.

Of course, you should also check our website for a
number of updates and re-designed pages. We're starting to collect
quite a few articles from educational experts all over the world.
See these archives on our website: www.starteaching.com

See more of our Freebies as well as Special
Reports on our website by clicking the quick link below:

Check
out our collection of FREE online resources, including the SQ3R
sheet for reading and the
Paragraph
Graphic Organizer for writing. These are forms you
can fill in online and print, or have your students fill them in
and print them for class!

Are you interested in advertising with us?
Want to reach an audience of thousands each month? The
StarTeaching newsletter is sent out twice a month, and advertising is
available on our website.
Click the link below for more information:Advertise
with Us!

Need a position in a K-12 school, administration, or a coaching
job? Our website has just gained access to a specialized
service just for our members and newsletter readers. Job
listings, application and interviewing tips, and priceless
information, at your fingertips!

Learning in
Hand is an
educator's resource for using some of the coolest technologies
with students.

Tony is a teacher who
wants to make education effective, relevant, and fun. He knows
handhelds are small computers that can make a big difference in
classrooms! He hopes Learning in Hand inspires and motivates
teachers to use technology that students crave.